The 23-year-old defenseman is expected to return to the lineup Thursday at Los Angeles after missing four games with an upper-body injury. But the problem for Larsen this season hasn’t been getting in the lineup, it’s been staying in the lineup.

And he isn’t alone.

As the Stars try to transition to younger defenders this season, there have been some hiccups. Before this last run, Larsen had been scratched six times. Jordie Benn, who probably will come out of the lineup to open up room for Larsen, has been scratched once and sent back to the minors for seven games. Jamie Oleksiak had a six-game audition (sandwiched around a healthy scratch), was sent back to the minors and has been recalled for the last four games.

And while this is happening, it’s tough to keep calm, patient, aggressive and confident when the games are played.

“To all athletes, confidence is a big thing. And when you go through a season, you have different ebbs and flows and different highs and lows in your confidence level, in what you think you can or can’t do,” Stars coach Glen Gulutzan said. “I think especially with young guys, it’s even more important. That’s part of coaching; you have to know when to push and pull or maybe get mad, and when to support and prop up. That’s the challenge of it.”

For Larsen, dealing with the mind games is likely to be the key to his season.

He is a gifted skater and puck distributor, tallying 21 points (four goals, 17 assists) in 54 games with Texas (AHL) two seasons ago under the guidance of Gulutzan and Stars assistant Paul Jerrard. He played 55 games with the Stars last season and made an impact with 11 points (three goals, eight assists) and was plus-11.

In 17:57 a game, he looked like an NHL player. He was solid defensively, with 89 hits and 73 blocked shots, and was developing his skills offensively.

But something happened this season. Despite some solid work during the lockout in the Finnish Elite League (13 points and plus-11 in 27 games), he didn’t transition well to the Stars. He struggled at times, found himself a healthy scratch and started to question his confidence. He already has as many penalty minutes in 12 games (16) as he did in 55 games last season.

“Of course,” he said when asked if he is struggling with confidence. “Sometimes it’s tough, but you have to battle through it and learn how to live with it and make the best out of it. You’ve just got to get used to it, and it will come.”

That goes for all Stars defensemen. Dallas’ blue line has been under the microscope the last few seasons, and the mental battles have been challenging for players such as Larsen, Benn and Oleksiak. Even veterans like Alex Goligoski and Trevor Daley have had their moments of doubt this season.

“It’s a process,” Oleksiak said. “You definitely don’t want to come in and make a mistake, so I think that’s something you think about. But, after time, you get more comfortable and start playing your game.”

A fiery personality with a lot of drive, Larsen clearly is gun-shy this season, and that reflects somewhat in his response when asked about his ability to return to play Thursday.

“I feel I’m ready to play, so whenever he wants me, I’ll be ready,” he said in reference to Gulutzan.

And he’s not alone in adapting that attitude.

Whitney’s return still a little ways away: Stars winger Ray Whitney returned to team practice Tuesday and stayed on the ice for most of the drills. However, Gulutzan said Whitney, who has missed 14 games with a broken bone in his foot, is likely to be out of the lineup for the forseeable future.

“He’s still a little ways away. I wouldn’t get too anxious about his return based on his practice today,” Gulutzan said.

Whitney played with a fracture in his foot and made it worse. Now he has to wait for the fracture to heal.

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